Patatas Bravas
A classic dish at Spanish tapas restaurants. Conceptually they're nothing special, essentially just square fries with some kind of aioli. However, this remarkably simple dish tastes awesome, somehow much more satisfying than normal fries. The basic steps are just to boil the potato, fry them crisp, and serve them with some kind of sauce. Beyond that, there's a lot of room for experimentation - different seasonings, and especially in the aioli. I made a pretty simple classic garlic aioli but almost anything would work.
Active Time: 25 min
Total Time: 35 min
Ingredients
> russet potato (2)
> mayonnaise (1 cup)
> tomato paste (1 tsp)
> sherry vinegar (1.5 tbsp)
> minced garlic (3-5 cloves)
> bay leaves (2), parsley
> salt, paprika, cayenne, cumin, black pepper
Instructions
1. In a large pot, add water, salt, paprika, cumin, and a couple of bay leaves. Bring up to a boil.
2. Peel and cut potatoes into approximately 1-inch cubes (or slightly smaller). Add to the pot and boil for roughly 5 minutes, or until mostly tender.
3. Remove potatoes, drain, and let cool completely on a wire rack.
4. In the meantime, make the aioli. Crush garlic with salt and paprika until it becomes a paste. (If you don't have a mortar and pestle, using minced garlic and thoroughly mixing would also work). Add mayonnaise, tomato paste, sherry vinegar, and (optionally) salt to taste. Mix thoroughly
5. Heat up some oil, and once the oil comes up to temperature fry the potatoes for roughly 5-6 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on a paper towel.
6. Optionally, sprinkle a little bit of black pepper and salt over the potatoes. Serve the potatoes with some aioli on top, and sprinkle some chopped parsley on top. Serve and enjoy!
Notes/Tips:
> I don't actually have any sherry vinegar, so I used lemon juice instead in the aioli.
> Be creative with what you add to the aioli - there's a ton of room for experimentation. I've seen roasted tomato aiolis, more herbaceous sauces, and much more.
> Do not skip the step to completely cool the potatoes. If you add them in straight after boiling, the residual steam/water will make it very difficult to achieve a good crispy texture.